In the summer of 2023, Camesha Renae Johnson, a 36-year-old school bus driver for Clayton County, had found a new sense of purpose in her job. She had just finished her summer school route on the evening of June 29th, a Thursday, and spoke with her mother afterward. Later that night, she planned to have dinner with her husband, from whom she was separated.
It was a routine she often followed, taking a few moments for herself at a local BP gas station in Riverdale, Georgia, a place she frequented almost daily.
Sometime late that night or in the very early hours of Friday, June 30, 2023, the familiar peace of her routine was shattered by a single gunshot. Johnson was sitting in her car when someone shot her once in the shoulder, a bullet that would ultimately strike her heart. After being shot, her car moved from its usual parking spot behind the gas station, went past the pumps, and came to an abrupt stop with its front wheels over a curb. For two hours, she sat in her vehicle, her phone in her hand, before anyone approached and discovered the tragic scene. Police were called to the gas station on State Route 85 and Thomas Road just before midnight.
The investigation into the death of Camesha Johnson remains open and unsolved, a source of ongoing pain for her family. As of a year after her death, no arrests have been made, and Clayton County police have not publicly identified any suspects. Her family, including her mother and sister, believe that the person responsible for her death was not a stranger. They continue to plead for answers and for justice, holding events like balloon releases to keep her memory alive and to bring attention back to her case. Frustrated by what they feel is a lack of communication from detectives, they hold onto the hope that the $10,000 reward offered for information will lead to a breakthrough and finally provide the closure they desperately seek.
